BYD to launch ultrafast charging network in Europe to support EV push

Chinese EV giant BYD is preparing to roll out an ultrafast charging network across Europe as part of its drive to gain ground in the region’s electric vehicle market, Automotive News Europe reports.

Citing comments made at at a press briefing in Brussels, Stella Li, BYD's vice president and head of Europe, is reported as confirming  that the company will partner with local infrastructure providers while also installing high-power chargers at its own dealerships. “This will be a game changer that will boost consumer confidence in electric driving,” Li said.

The rollout will include next-generation megawatt flash chargers capable of delivering up to 1,000 kilowatts of power - enabling charging times as low as five minutes for 400 to 470 km of range, depending on the vehicle and battery configuration. These chargers are set to complement the European launch of BYD’s new Super e platform models, including the Han L and Tang L.

In China, BYD has already introduced flash-charging battery technology that can deliver 400 km of range in five minutes at 1 megawatt peak output. For now, that system is only available in the Chinese market, but it signals the direction BYD is taking globally.

Ian Plummer, commercial director at Auto Trader, commenting on the news, said: "While most drivers rarely require rapid refueling on long trips, the perception of parity with ICE refueling times remains a psychological hurdle to wider BEV adoption. With this bold step, BYD is aiming to close that gap."

He noted the ramping up of the competitive landscape. Tesla has already developed charging infrastructure while Ionity, the European charging consortium backed by OEMs including BMW, Ford, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen, plans to start deploying 600-kW stations sthis year.

A BYD spokesperson confirmed Li’s comments to Automotive News Europe, but said further details on timing and rollout locations would be announced at a later stage.